To miss Victorian Opera’s Follies would be an act of sheer folly
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03.02.2025

To miss Victorian Opera’s Follies would be an act of sheer folly

Credit: Jeff Busby
Words by Bryget Chrisfield

According to Victorian Opera’s CEO Elizabeth Hill-Cooper, the company’s fully staged production of Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman’s Follies grew from “a bubble of a dream” that emerged three years ago at a memorial for the late Greig Gailey, who was a valued member of the VO Board.

More musical than opera, Follies opened on Broadway back in 1971. The action takes place at a reunion for a group of former Weismann’s Follies performers, set against the backdrop of their derelict theatre that’s set to be demolished.

As former flatmates and follies girls, Sally Durant Plummer (Antoinette Halloran) and Phyllis Rogers Stone (Marina Prior) reunite, husbands – Buddy Plummer (Alexander Lewis) and Benjamin Stone (Adam Murphy) – in tow. Throughout the course of Follies, the audience witnesses the marriage breakdowns of these four main characters unfolding in real time. We’re transported back to their Follies-performing heyday through young versions of this foursome – all perfectly cast. As the two stars are courted by their respective beaus, complex secret backstories are hinted at before gradual reveals.

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The main action mostly takes place at stage level as showgirls with elaborate headdresses ooze, in slow motion, across the mezzanine level of Roger Kirk’s spectacular set – sparkling in the shadows like elegant ghosts of shows past. Gavan Swift’s lighting design expertly guides our gaze. Follow spots are used to brilliant effect and as Halloran’s stunning performance of the torch song Losing My Mind draws to a close, just her face remains illuminated as we languish in the delicious pathos of it all: “You said you loved me/ Or were you just being kind?/ Or am I losing my mind?”

The inner turmoil of our four main characters is explored during Act II’s surreal Loveland sequence; each is the star of their own act to echo the vaudeville, follies-era revue format.

When Anne Wood performs I’m Still Here, with such effortless grace, she totally embodies her character (Carlotta Campion). VO’s Artistic Director Stuart Maunder’s clever direction here sees the number of gents Carlotta entertains on stage subtly dwindling to none by this song’s conclusion. We’re completely captivated and time feels suspended for the duration of this number.

Iconic showtune, Broadway Baby – performed by 83-year-old Geraldene Morrow – is a showstopper. As Stella Deems, Rhonda Burchmore’s impossibly long legs tap their way through another standout number, Who’s That Woman?. As mirror balls descend from the ceiling, the Palais Theatre’s entire interior dances with reflected light from Kirk’s shimmering costumes as the ensemble taps away in impressive, well-rehearsed unison.

Era-specific, nuanced choreography by Yvette Lee – whose showbiz genes run deep (her parents actually lived in a flat above Melbourne’s iconic Tivoli Theatre for a spell) – is meticulously executed by this exceptional ensemble. The precision of the dancers’ lines is astounding, but individuality is also celebrated. Lee’s attention to detail elevates this entire production, with her trademark storytelling through movement subtly underscoring emotional heft and supporting character development.

We could have listened to Follies’ vibrant score – resplendent with brass fanfare and heart-rending reeds – without the sumptuous visual enhancement and still left feeling satisfied. Congratulations to Musical Director/conductor Phoebe Briggs and Orchestra Victoria.

A show that celebrates regret, resilience and resignation, Follies encourages us to reflect on the paths we did not choose while grieving abandoned dreams. To miss this one would be an act of sheer folly.

Victorian Opera’s Follies plays at Palais Theatre until 6 February.